Kick-Out!! Network

Sunday, May 22, 2011

WWE Over the Limit 2011 review

So I did wind up watching Over the Limit tonight and am pleased that I did. Let's take a look at this surprisingly enjoyable show:

R-Truth vs. Rey Mysterio kicked things off. R-Truth actually started the evening with another bizarre, but passionate speech about how there's a conspiracy against him. No conspiracy in this match though, Truth won handily. When's the last time Mysterio got demolished like that and lost a match so decisively? Good stuff between these two though, they gelled exactly as well as I expected and R-Truth's new mean streak came into play quite well. Very good way to kick off the show.Predictions: 1 for 1

Ezekiel Jackson vs. Wade Barrett with the Intercontinental Championship on the line was next. I didn't expect much from this one, even though I'm a fan of both guys, I didn't see their styles blending very well. I was wrong. Nothing spectacular or anything and the crowd getting really behind Big Zeke was a huge help, but I enjoyed the match regardless. And despite Zeke's adjustment to the face role and Wade Barrett's stock dropping dramatically in the last six months, they managed to work well together. The DQ finish with Corre interference was utterly predictable, but the story's just getting started, so I'm not surprised it played out this way.Predictions: 2 for 2

Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero was good, but I feel like you can see Sin Cara's frustration with himself in each of his matches and you can't even see his face. The guy is obviously having trouble adjusting to the WWE ring and WWE style, no doubt that's why he was paired with Chavo for this match, but he still seems to be getting in his own head. He's overly cautious every time he prepares to springboard off the ropes, he slipped up at the finish, was shaking his head after his win. I don't like to comment on "botches" or other bullshit internet fans obsess over, but you can clearly see Sin Cara is becoming his own worst enemy. He'll get there, I'm sure, but the pressure has to be increasing. Match was perfectly acceptable though, even if the whole special lighting is distracting.Predictions: 3 for 3

Alberto Del Rio came to the ring to remind us that the WWE Title is still his number one priority, but was quickly interrupted by Big Show & Kane, the latter of whom was quite upset about the Rapture no-showing yesterday.

Big Show & Kane vs. CM Punk & Mason Ryan was okay. The crowd chanting "BATISTA!" at Ryan was hilarious and Punk working the Randy Savage Memorial Match was incredibly sweet, but at the end of the day, there's only so much you can do in a tag match with Big Show & Kane. Champs retained after a double chokeslam on Ryan and I suspect this will spell the end of the New Nexus.Predictions: 3 for 4

Brie Bella vs. Kelly Kelly wound up being better than I expected, but it was still Brie Bella vs. Kelly Kelly. Not quite up there with the fantastic Layla vs. Michelle McCool match at last month's PPV, but better than your standard Diva fare. Diva's Championship escaped Kelly's grasp once again though after she fell victim to Twin Magic. No Kharma though? The hell?!Predictions: 3 for 5

Randy Orton vs. Christian for the World Heavyweight Championship is perhaps the most bittersweet match I've ever watched. On one hand, we have a new leading contender for 2011 Match of the Year. On the other hand, I have to compliment Randy Orton on a fantastic match and of course, I watched him beat Christian. My least favorite wrestler defeats my favorite wrestler. Again. With the World Title on the line. Argh. Christian made Orton look like a million bucks and I assume after working with CM Punk, Orton will now request a program with Daniel Bryan to keep looking good?

Seriously though, just an absolutely fantastic match and I can't think of a single bad thing to say about it other than the fact that the O-hole won once again, which I'm sure some people are inexplicably happy about. If you didn't order this show, you must see this match. That's not a request, it's a demand. You MUST see this match, it was perfection. Back and forth action, big drama, and an absolutely electric crowd, it should've closed the show. For those of you who care about things like star ratings, tell me how this wouldn't be considered a five-star match?Predictions: 4 for 6

Michael Cole vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler in a Kiss My Foot match was the match they should've had at WrestleMania. It didn't drag on for far too long, Cole got some cheap offense in, but Lawler kicked the hell out of him, threw him through the Cole Mine, hit the fist drop and pinned him. Simple, effective, cathartic.

But things got even better after the match. First, Eve came out and got some hits in for all the Divas match interruptions. Then we were joined by Good Ol' JR, who squirted a bottle of BBQ sauce all over Cole's face. Then, just as Cole thought he had escaped kissing Lawler's foot, BRET "THE HITMAN" HART threw him back in the ring, locked in the Sharpshooter and Lawler stuffed his foot right in Cole's mouth. A wonderful homage to the 1995 Kiss My Foot match (Isaac Yankem's return becoming an increasing possibility!) and finally puts an end to this silliness. I was completely done with this story weeks ago, but tonight saved it and gave it the happy ending it needed.Predictions: 5 for 7

Main Event Time! John Cena vs. The Miz in an I Quit Match. You know those signs that say "WE'VE CENA NUFF"? Well after tonight, we need one that says "WE'VE CENA SNUFF." The Miz explained his diabolical plan at the start of the match, saying that whatever he can do in this type of match, Alex Riley could do as well. Team Awesome went onto basically torture John Cena for 20+ minutes in one of the most brutal beatings I've ever seen. Orton handcuffing Cena and going to town with the Singapore Cane at Breaking Point 2009 was bad, but Miz took it to a whole new level. They dropped the stairs on Cena's ribs, beat him with the cane, whipped him with a leather belt, and wailed on him with a steel chair. What made it even better, Miz had a live mic the entire time, telling Cena exactly what was coming to him and even taunting some Cena fans in the front row. Finally, after blasting Cena in the skull with a chair, the champ finally said "I QUIT!"

Well, not really. Did you know there's an app for that? Miz tried the old Rock/Mankind Royal Rumble 99 trick by playing a recording of Cena saying "I QUIT!" and that bastard Mike Chioda reversed the decision, AGAIN! Seriously, what does Chioda have against Captain Awesome? Naturally, this gave Cena the breather he needed, Hulked up, quick burst of whoop-ass, STF, Miz quits, Cena retains. Naturally, the internet imploded on itself (as usual), because John Cena winning an I Quit match is such a shocking development that we must seethe with rage!!!

Yeah, it's tired, but it is what it is, I'm over it and Miz came out of it looking like a sadistic son of a bitch. Miz wasn't "buried" (and we really need to remove that word from our vocabulary) and Cena's body will tell the tale tomorrow night when he's covered with welts and bruises. Wish Miz would've won, wish he would've grabbed one of those kids out of the crowd and threatened to hit them with a Skullcrushing Finale, forcing Cena to quit in order to save them, but perhaps that's just a bit too over the top? Great storytelling, though I think Orton and Christian would've been a more fitting conclusion to the show.

Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Not a jaw-dropping amazing PPV of the decade or anything, but good nonetheless. Worth your time just to see Orton vs. Christian and no match was outright bad. Overall, not a bad way to spend a Sunday night.

Welcome

Wrestling is fun. At least it's supposed to be. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's dumb, sometimes it's both. Kick-Out!! was founded in the spring of 2009 to celebrate the most unique form of entertainment on the planet, and to have an intelligent discussion about it through social media and professionally-produced podcasts. Hope you enjoy.